(RICHLAND, WA) – A Bonneville Power Administration cold-weather related transmission event led to a Columbia Generating Station reactor scram – safe shutdown of the reactor – at 11:24 a.m. today. Equipment malfunctioned at the nearby Ashe Substation, resulting in loss of the 500 kilovolt line connecting the plant’s main output transformers to the substation.In response, Columbia’s output breakers properly opened to separate the plant from any potential grid transients. Columbia’s operating crew successfully stabilized the plant.“It’s unfortunate that this happened while we were on our way to closing out what still may be a record generation year,” said Bob Schuetz, plant general manager at Columbia. “The plant remains safe, and we anticipate being back on the grid once we have more thoroughly reviewed what caused the BPA transmission event.”All of Columbia’s electricity is sold at cost to BPA. Ninety-two Northwest utilities receive a percentage of its output.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

(PASCO, WA) – The Pacific Northwest’s hydropower legacy
received a boost with the declaration of December 15 as “Hydropower
Appreciation Day” in Benton and Franklin Counties.

The two public utility district commissions approved
resolutions celebrating the Columbia and Snake River’s hydro system.

“Benton PUDs customers receive about 78 percent of their
electricity from hydroelectric dams,” said Lori Sanders, commission president.
“The Northwest today is an oasis of clean, carbon free, renewable energy - the result of its hydro heritage. The dams on the Columbia River and its
tributaries produce more electricity than any other North American river and
account for 40 percent of all U.S. hydropower. The four lower Snake River dams
include some of the most advanced and successful fish passage systems in the
world.”

“Along with carbon-free energy, the Columbia and Snake River
hydro system provides low-carbon transport of tens of millions of dollars of
farm goods and manufactured products through an efficient barging system,” said
Roger Wright, Franklin PUD commission president. “Irrigation has made eastern
Washington State boom with an amazing array of agricultural bounty. The system
of dams and locks also provides flood control, keeping our homes and cities
safe from high waters.”

Hydroelectricity is the crown jewel that makes renewable
power sources like wind and solar work in the Pacific Northwest. Hydropower can
be called on at a moment’s notice to fill in the gaps when there isn’t enough
wind or sun to generate electricity. Clean, reliable and renewable energy is
the reason big companies like Google, BMW, REC Silicon and others have located
operations in our region. This helps reduce their carbon footprint, save money
on operations, and raise their status among their competitors.

The two PUDs also reaffirmed their support for continuing
efforts to balance the benefit of hydropower with the responsibility of
protecting, improving, and sustaining fish and wildlife that are dependent on
the Columbia and Snake River’s ecosystem.

Benton PUD and Franklin PUD are members of Northwest River
Partners, an alliance of farmers, utilities, ports and businesses that promote
the economic and environmental benefits of the Columbia and Snake rivers; fish
and wildlife policies and programs based on sound science; and clean,
renewable, reliable hydropower. Fast
facts on why hydropower should be celebrated can be found at: http://nwriverpartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/NWRP_pocket_guide_2015_FINAL.pdf.

(WASHINGTON,
DC) – The Fish and Wildlife Service is expected this week to issue its final
rule extending the period in which wind projects can be permitted to injure or
kill protected eagles from five years to 30 years, according to industry
sources.

The
permits protect companies from being sued for the bird deaths so long as they
follow certain mitigation and reporting requirements. An earlier version of the
rulewas
overturned by a court in 2015 because the agency did not perform an
environmental impact statement. FWS issued itsfinal programmatic EISon the rule in November and comments
on it were due Friday.

Thus
far, the service has only issued two five-year permits but it could soon grant
two more under the current regulations.

FWS on Fridayissuedits final EIS to grant two proposed
eagle take permits - one for construction and another for project operations
over five years - to the Power Company of Wyoming, which plans to build 500
wind turbines in southern Wyoming by 2020. During construction of the
Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Phase I Wind Energy Project, the permit would
allow developers to injure up to two bald eagles and eight golden eagles
annually. Depending on which size turbine blade the developer picks, FWS
estimated the project itself could kill one to two bald eagles and 10 to 14
golden eagles annually.

(CHEHALIS, WA) – Lewis County PUD Commissioners have
approved a budget of $74.6 million for 2017. The budget includes a balloon
payment of $6.4 million on bonds purchased to satisfy the acquisition of wind
power as mandated by Initiative 937 ten years ago. The budget also anticipates
increased power costs to the district from the Bonneville Power Administration.
The power costs of the district make up over two thirds of the total budget
expense.

These additional costs will cause the district to have a
budget deficiency of approximately $1.2 million that will drive the need for a
rate increase to customers in 2017. A cost of service analysis is currently
being conducted by an outside consulting firm to determine the amount of rate
increase that is needed. That whole process will begin with public rate hearings.

Lewis County PUD will also see savings in 2017 and for the
next 11 years by refinancing other bonds that were issued in 2008. The new bond
reduces the interest rate from 5.00 percent to 2.08 percent interest and
results in a total savings of nearly $3 million dollars. The savings will be
$575 thousand in 2017 and $264 thousand each year from 2019 through 2027.

About Me

Joel Myer works at an electrical utility in Washington State.
Prior to his current employment, he worked for nine years at the City of Shelton as Special Projects Coordinator.
In 1992, Joel served a three-month term as an appointed Mason County Commissioner. As far as it is known, he still holds the record for the shortest term for a county commissioner in Washington State.
From 1991 through 1992 Joel worked with Washington State University Cooperative Extension, where he conducted an extensive study of the special forest products industry and its economic value to the Pacific Northwest.
From 1980 to 1991 he was News Director at KMAS Radio in Shelton.
Joel is a 1991 graduate of the Evergreen State College, where his focus of study was economics.
Joel Myer is one of the 2018 award winners, Foundation for Water & Energy Education Haiku Contest.
He has been teaching himself to play the ukulele (with limited success) since 2003.